. . . dazzling performances of arias by Caldara, Porpora, Leo, Vinci and the relatively obscure Aria. Bartoli's oversize bravura transcends the formulaic nature of so much of this music, with its gurgling passagework and tick-tock accompaniment. She handles leaps, arpeggios, tricky turns and figuration, chains of trills and repeated notes meticulously, and with an infectious delight in her own stupendous vocalism . . . Bartoli's impeccable technique represents a similar attention to detail, and each time she returns to this repertoire she brings more tonal beauty and less mannerism. It is safe to say she has mastered historical vocal technique, with its throat articulation, differently weighted registers and minimal vibrato. She even generates the same frenzy and debate as the celebrated castratos. Where to go now?

She proves well up to meeting the nigh-impossible vocal demands the music written for them makes on technique and breath control . . . As well as display, there's real depth in such items as the exquisite "Qual farfalla" by Leonardo Leo and Caldara's "Quel buon pastor". There's a percussive thrill to these period-instrument accompaniments and the sound is well judged.

Record Review /
George Hall,
BBC Music Magazine (London) / 01. December 2009

Bartoli's hordes of fans will just love this album: the scholarly research into obscure repertoire and resultant cornucopia of world-premiere recordings; the lavish booklet with everything you've ever wanted to know about castrati; the machine-gun coloratura (freer of aspirates than often in the past); the breathy, sighing, swooning cantilena; the throaty growls and chesty swoops; the consummate microphone technique . . . [Listeners] might appreciate dipping into delicacies by Propora, Graun, Broschi et al, be they Handelian or Vivaldian, prolix or concise, stormy, plaintive or -- here and there -- winsome . . .

Record Review /
Yehuda Shapiro,
Opera Now (London) / 01. January 2010

. . . I was enchanted by and approved of much . . . [The performances] are generally excellent . . . [Bartoli] worked like a demon on this album. In the slow arias, she lessens her vibrato with varying degrees of success and produces many of the . . . wonderful effects . . . Her singing in the slow arias is simply breathtaking, and will melt your heart. The most successful of the "fiery" arias is Araia's "Cadrò, ma qual si mira", sheer technical perfection of a kind that you will never hear replicated in your lifetime, because this particular aria, and its emotional expression, are absolutely perfect for Bartoli's voice . . . everything on Bartoli's album will impress . . . This CD is very much worth getting for the slow arias, the booklet, and "Cadrò, ma qual si mira".